WTF Has Obama Done? - Issue No. 007 - Foreign Affairs and International Affairs

Regardless of what Republicans will have you believe, President Barack Obama has re-established our nation's standing in the world.  It's shocking to say, but after 911 the whole world was united with us, they supported us and they admired us for standing up to these horrible terrorists who had invaded our land.  We have never encountered such a catastrophe since Japan invaded Pearl Harbor in WWII.  But despite all of this, George Bush managed to turn us into the most hated and despised country in the world.  But you don't need me to prove that to you, you can actually "Google " it.

In other news... Can you believe it?  I have completed 7 days (7 issues) of "WTF Has Obama Done?" and I've had fun doing it.  It is time consuming, but I'm also learning so much!

In today's issue, I will cover some of the broad policies in foreign affairs, because despite what the right is telling you, Obama has achieved so much in this area. I will post 3 WTFs and come back at a later time to discuss this topic again.

WTF-17

Re-established the United States standing in the world.

The image of the United States has improved markedly in most parts of the world, reflecting global confidence in Barack Obama. In many countries opinions of the United States are now about as positive as they were at the beginning of the decade before George W. Bush took office. Improvements in the U.S. image have been most pronounced in Western Europe, where favorable ratings for both the nation and the American people have soared. But opinions of America have also become more positive in key countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia, as well. [Reference-1]

Global views of the United States have improved markedly over the last year while views of many countries have become more negative, according to the latest BBC World Service poll across 28 countries.

For the first time since the BBC started tracking in 2005, views of the United States' influence in the world are now more positive than negative on average. [Reference-2]

Significant improvements in sentiment toward U.S. leadership are evident in all four major global regions, with the largest year-over-year increase in approval measured in Europe. Median approval of U.S. leadership increased by 28 percentage points between 2008 and 2009 in this region. A median of 47% approves and a median of 20% disapproves -- the first time disapproval has dropped below 50% in Europe since Gallup first asked the question. [Reference-3]

WTF-18

Poll: World’s opinion of U.S. has “improved sharply” under Obama.

Since Barack Obama entered office, the world's view of the United States has 'improved sharply,' according to a poll carried out by the BBC World Service.

Nearly 30,000 people in 28 countries were asked to rate countries on their positive impact upon the world. This year 46% of the respondents rated the US's influence as positive - the first time since 2005 that the survey returned more positive votes than negative for America. [Reference]

WTF-19

47 nations rise to Obama’s challenge at US nuke summit and agree to four years of non-proliferation efforts.

The Nuclear Security Summit convened by President Barack Obama attracted 47 high-level participants – over 30 of them heads of state or government – who collectively agreed on several small but important steps on the path towards global safety from a “rogue” nuclear attack. This could be mounted by “non-state” sources or by a state that does not observe the rules.

"The agreement of 47 nations to specific steps to safeguard nuclear materials and technology has to be welcomed especially in averting the dangers of nuclear weapon proliferation and non-state actors acquiring them,” says Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala, who presided over the 1995 Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review and Extension Conference. Formerly the UN Under-Secretary General for Disarmament (1998-2003), he is President of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, and Jennings Randolph Senior Visiting Scholar, U.S. Institute of Peace. [Reference]

As promised, I will come back to Foreign policy in another issue.  Please make sure to read Issue No. 008 tomorrow as I continue with WTF-20
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